QPBLEniNT 


.y 


Care  and  Preservation 

\RRIAGES, 

HARNESS, 


stable  Hints. 


CARE  AND  PRESERVATION 


CARRIAGES.  HARNESS, 


Riding  Saddles,  Etc. 


Copyright,  1892,  by  P.  F.  Murphy  &  Co. 


LONDON  HARNESS  AGENCY, 

206  DEVONSHIRE  STREET,  BOSTON,  MASS. 

P.  F.  MURPHY  S  CO. 


AUTHOR'S    PREFACE. 


We  present  this  little  volume  to  the  public,  feeling  that  it  may  be 
of  some  benefit  to  owners  of  horses  and  carriages.  The  matter  contained 
therein  is  taken  from  the  best  authorities  in  the  world,  and  is  the  result 
of  many  years'  experience  and  practice.  With  great  pleasure  we  show 
illustrations  of  a  few  of  the  St.  Pancras  English  wrought  iron  stable 
fittings,  which  have  met  with  such  great  favor  since  we  introduced  them ; 
they  will  be  found  superior  to  anything  ever  shown  here,  both  in  point 
of  style  and  durability,  and  the  reader  will  be  amply  repaid  by  a  personal 
examination  at  our  warerooms. 

P.  f:  murphy  &  CO., 

London  Harness  Agency. 
Boston,  March  19,  1892. 


Position  of  harness  on  English  Bracket,  showing  a  separate  place 
for  Collar,  Bridle,  Crupper,  and  Reins ;  so  placed  that  no  one  part 
comes    in    contact    with    another. 


CONTENTS 


CARRIAGES. 

The  Coach  House, 
General  Care  of  Carriages, 
Washing  Carriages, 
Brass  and  Silver  Mountings, 
Leather  Work, 
Carriage  Linings,   . 
Oiling  Carriages,    . 
Small  Repairs, 

HARNESS. 

The  Harness  Room, 

General  Care  of  Harness, 

Washing  Harness, 

Blacking,  and  the  Care  of  Leather, 

Patent  Leather, 

Brown  Leather  Harness, 

Harness  Mountings, 

Harness  Steel  Work, 

SADDLES,  BRIDLES,  Etc. 
Riding  Saddles, 
Bridles,  Martingales,  etc., 
Saddle  Brackets, 
Care  of   Various  Articles, 

RUSSET   SHOES,      . 
CLOTHING,  Etc.      . 

Bandages,    . 

Temperature  of  Stables, 

Grooming, 

Work  Horses, 

Stable  Tools, 

Stable  Requisites, 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


ST.   PANCRAS    STABLE   FITTINGS, 


17-20 


DIRECTIONS 


CARE  AND   PRESERVATION 

OF 

CARRIAGES.  HARNESS, 

RIDING   SADDLES,   ETC. 


Whatever  may  be  the  value  of  the  horses,  the  reputation  of  the  Coach- 
builder  and  Harnessmaker,  or  the  skill  of  the  driver,  a  turnout  is  never 
perfect  unless  it  be  fresh  and  brilliant. 

The  care  and  preservation  of  carriages,  harness,  riding  saddles,  etc.,  are 
consequently  matters  of  importance  to  those  interested  in  appearance  and 
economy,  and  to  builders  desirous  of  acquiring  the  credit  due  to  their  good 
work. 

We  have,  for  the  sake  of  clearness,  divided  this  work  into  separate 
parts,  each  being  again  divided  into  paragraphs  describing  the  various 
appliances  and  operations  necessary  for  the  care  and  preservation  of  these 
important  objects. 


CARRIAGES. 


THE    COACH    HOUSE. 

A  good  Coach  house  is  an  essential  condition  for  the  preservation  of  a 
carriage  ;  it  is  probably  the  most  essential. 

To  be  really  good,  the  Coach  house  must  not  merely  serve  to  protect 
vehicles  against  sun  and  rain ;  its  situation  and  internal  arrangements  should 
be  in  accordance  with  the  dictates  of  reason. 

It  must  be  located  as  far  as  possible  from  the  manure  pit,  and  if  near  the 
Stable,  must  have  no  communication  with  it.  Ammonia  from  the  manure, 
when  absorbed  by  the  atmosphere,  cracks  and  destroys  the  varnish  and 
changes  the  colors,  whilst  under  its  influence  the  whole  carriage  imperceptibly 
becomes  faded,  without  any  apparent  cause,  notwithstanding  the  quality  of 
the  materials  employed  in  its  construction. 

Damp,  sunshine  and  dust  ar^p  so  many  causes  of  destruction  to  the  paint 
and  freshness  of  every  part  of  the  vehicle.  The  Coach  house  must  be  dry 
and  well  aired ;  the  building  should  have  doors  and  windows  admitting  a 
moderate  amount  of  light  only ;  blinds,  if  necessary,  should  protect  the 
carriage  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun. 

As  all  walls,  especially  those  of  brick,  are  more  or  less  damp,  a  carriage 
should  never  be  allowed  to  stand  close  to  them. 

A  vehicle  standing  unused  in  a  Coach  house,  even  for  a  few  days,  should 
be  protected  by  a  cover  of  cotton  or  linen,  sufficiently  large  to  enclose  the 
wheels,  and  close  enough  in  texture  to  protect  the  whole  carriage  from 
dust,  vvithout  excluding  a  certain  amount  of  light ;  great  care  must  also  be 
ta.ken  to  keep  it  perfectly  dry. 


It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  vehicles  used  four  or  five  times  a  week,  and 
for  several  hours  each  time,  retain  their  freshness  better  than  when  shut 
up  for  a  long  period,  however  good  the  Coach  house  may  be.  In  the 
latter  case,  the  vehicle  should  from  time  to  time  be  drawn  out  into  the 
fresh  air,  opened,  brushed,  and  allowed  to  stand  for  some  hours  in  a  shady 
place  ;  it  should  also  be  washed  off. 

Hooks  for  poles,  splinter  bars,  and  shafts  ;  lifting  tackle  for  movable  heads 
or  seats  ;  and  a  cupboard  for  necessary  utensils,  should  comprise  all  the  Coach 
house  furniture ;  anything  likely  to  cause  damp  or  dust  should  be  excluded. 
Shelves,  for  instance,  are  always  bad ;  they  accumulate  dust,  which  flies 
about  with  the  least  breath  of  air  or  falls  in  a  cloud  at  some  unlooked-for 
moment. 

Finally,  we  recommend  that  the  floor  be  paved  with  blocks  of  oak,  or 
laid  with  asphalt ;  the  ceiling  or  roof,  free  from  trapdoors  or  similar  openings, 
should  be  plastered  and  painted. 


GENERAL    CARE    OF    CARRIAGES. 

It  is  contrary  to  the  interest  of  the  owner  of  a  carriage,  to  use  a  recently 
varnished  vehicle,  whether  new  or  otherwise,  as  it  is  prejudicial  not  only  to 
the  brilliancy  of  the  painting,  but  also  to  its  durability.  Forbearing  to  use 
the  newly  varnished  carriage  for  a  few  days,  permits  the  exterior  to  acquire 
that  brilliancy  which  is  the  result  only  of  a  varnish  thoroughly  hardened 
and  of  a  perfect  finish. 

A  carriage  should  be  frequently  washed  before  being  used,  in  order  to 
harden  the  varnished  surfaces.  It  should  also  be  washed  immediately  on  its 
return  from  the  first  drive,  especially  if  the  weather  is  wet,  as  the  mud 
drying  upon  the  panels  will  cause  spots  and  stains  impossible  to  remove,  if 
the  surface  of  the  road  contains  Hme  or  similar  matter. 


Stains,  however,  may  sometimes  be  removed  by  rubbing  them  hghtly  and 
carefully  with  a  little  wadding,  moistened  with  linseed  oil. 

An  excellent  habit  for  a  Coachman  to  contract,  is  never  to  let  his  carriage 
stand  without  washing  it,  whatever  may  be  the  time  or  weather  he  returns  to 
the  stable.  Above  all  things,  he  must  not  postpone  washing  the  carriage 
until  the  weather  becomes  wet  and  the  streets  muddy,  for  the  dust  cannot  be 
entirely  removed  from  the  panels  with  a  feather  duster,  and  will  rapidly  eat 
into  the  varnish.  Only  a  good  wash  off,  with  plenty  of  water,  will  restore 
the  panels  to  their  original  brilliancy. 

A  carriage  should  be  dusted  only  when  it  is  drawn  out  of  the  Coach 
house  for  immediate  use. 

The  selection  of  a  good  feather  duster  should  be  made  with  care ;  those 
of  vulture  feathers,  with  light-colored,  soft,  flexible  tips  are  preferable  ;  but 
as  soon  as  the  tips  are  broken,  it  is  advisable  to  procure  another  duster, 
which  may  then  be  kept  for  the  panels  only,  the  first  one  being  used 
indifferently  for  the  under-carriage  and  the  lining. 


WASHING    CARRIAGES. 

It  is  not  every  one  who  can  readily  and  properly  wash  a  carriage  ;  the 
operation  requires  great  care  and  practical  knowledge. 

Never  wash  in  the  sun  or  on  loose  soil ;  in  the  first  case  the  panels  dry 
so  quickly  that,  before  they  can  be  wiped  off,  stains  are  caused;  in  the 
second,  mud  is  produced,  from  which  it  becomes  difficult  to  entirely  free  the 
vehicle. 

The  carriage  should  therefore  be  placed  in  the  shade,  or  indoors  on  a 
wash  stand  specially  prepared  in  some  portion  of  the  Coach  house,  and 
close  to  the  water  supply. 


In  washing  during  frosty  weather,  the  operation  should  take  place  under 
shelter,  in  a  higher  temperature  than  out  of  doors. 

A  jack  of  any  shape  with  a  leather- covered  lever,  one  or  two  pails,  two 
sponges,  two  soft  chamois  leathers,  and  plenty  of  water  form  the  necessary 
requisites  for  washing. 

The  carriage,  taken  to  the  proper  place,  must  be  first  stripped  of  all 
fittings,  such  as  cushions,  carpets,  etc.,  etc.  ;  the  aprons  should  be  unfolded, 
the  head  closed  and,  in  short,  all  the  trimmings  liable  to  be  wet,  protected  as 
much  as  possible. 

Water  should  be  applied  to  the  panels  by  a  hose,  until  the  mud  is  entirely 
removed.  Where  a  continuous  supply  of  water  is  not  available,  a  kind  of 
small  hand  pump  may  be  used  with  advantage  to  force  the  water  on  to  the 
panels.  In  default  of  this  instrument,  a  pail  or  watering  can  should  be  used, 
and  water  thrown  copiously  over  the  wheels  and  undercarriage  ;  when  a 
large  sponge  saturated  with  water,  is  squeezed  over  the  panels,  the  mud 
softens  and  immediately  disappears.  I.t  is  essential  that  the  sponge  be 
squeezed,  not  rubbed  over  the  panels. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  to  avoid  driving  water  into  the  body  of 
the  carriage  and  damaging  the  lining. 

The  mud  or  dust  being  removed,  the  operation  should  proceed  as  follows  : 

Wash  first  the  roof  or  head  of  the  body,  and  wipe  it  with  a  chamois 
leather  ;  continue  l)y  washing  the  dasher  and  aprons,  which  are  folded  after 
being  wiped  dry ;  then  the  seat  borders,  floorcloth,  wings  and  bootings  of 
steps. 

The  body  should  next  be  washed  ;  for  this  it  is  well  to  have  a  special 
sponge  and  chamois  leather  ;  water  should  be  used  plentifully  for  every  part 
of  the  carriage,  but  above  all  for  the  panels.  Every  part  of  the  body 
should  be  cirefully  wiped  dry. 

The  under  parts  and  wheels  are  washed  last ;  each  wheel  must  be  raised 
with  a  jack,  cleaned  with  a   sponge  and  plenty  of  water,  and  carefully  dried. . 


10 


The  operation  terminated,  the  pails  are  rinsed  ;  the  sponges  and  chamois 
leathers,  which  should  not  be  left  too  long  in  the  water,  are  cleansed  and 
wrung,  but  not  so  dry  as  to  permit  them  to  become  hard  when  exposed  to 
the  air. 


BRASS  AND    SILVER   MOUNTINGS. 

Brass  and  plated  mountings  are  the  most  difficult  parts  to  clean ;  no  acids, 
or  pigments  of  a  corrosive  nature  should  be  employed,  or  if  used,  only  with 
the  utmost  care,  and  when  the  mountings  are  tarnished  with  verdigris. 
Many  polishing  liquids  and  metallic  powders  burn  or  scratch  the  leather 
and  varnish  with  which  they  are  bound  to  come  in  contact ;  hence  it  is  most 
essential  that  great  care  should  be  exercised  in  the  selection  of  polishing 
materials,  and  only  those  of  recognized  quality  should  be  used.  Generally 
speaking,  a  liquid  pohsh  will  be  found  preferable  for  cleansing  brass  j  apply 
the  polish  with  a  woollen  cloth,  care  being  taken  not  to  allow  the  liquid  to 
touch  the  leather  or  varnish,  wipe  dry ;  and  then  polish  with  plate  powder 
and  chamois. 

For  silver  trimmings  a  small  quantity  of  plate  powder  and  a  chamois  will 
be  found  quite  sufficient. 

Beads,  caps,  handles,  etc.,  should  all  be  treated  in  this  manner. 

To  clean  the  lamps  properly,  they  should  be  removed  from  the  carriage ; 
a  little  whitening  mixed  with  spirits  of  wine  should  be  appUed  to  the  plated 
insides  and  reflectors  ;  this,  when  dry,  is  rubbed  off  with  a  soft  rag,  leaving 
a  brilliant  poUsh ;  the  lamps  should  then  be  dusted  with  a  soft  brush,  used 
exclusively  for  this  purpose. 

The  polished  parts  may  be  kept  a  littU  greasy,  and  when  necessary, 
cleaned  with  a  burnisher,  or  otherwise.  There  is,  however,  very  little 
polished  work  about  most  carriages ;  we  shall  return  to  this  subject  when 
treating  of  harness. 


11 


LEATHER    WORK. 

Heads,  aprons,  dash-boards,  wings,  etc.,  etc.,  are  generally  of  enamelled 
or  patent  leather ;  some  few  carriages,  however,  have  heads  and  aprons  of 
oil  leather. 

So  long  as  oil  leather  is  new,  it  should  simply  be  washed,  but  as  soon  as 
it  commences  to  harden,  a  light  coat  of  pure  neats-foot  oil  should  be 
applied  in  order  to  soften  the  leather.  After  allowing  sufficient  time  for  the 
oil  to  penetrate,  the  leather  should  be  carefully  wiped  and  brushed,  to 
prevent  it  soiling  or  damaging  anything  with  which  it  may  come  in  contact. 

Enamelled  and  patent  leather  do  not  require  so  much  attention ; 
washing  in  an  ordinary  way  and  carefully  wiping  is  sufficient,  but  if  from 
any  cause  they  should  become  greasy,  a  little  soap  with  cold  water  will 
remove  the  grease  ;  should  the  leather  become  spotted,  use  a  little  linseed 
oil  and  wadding  as  when  removing  stains  from  panels. 

The  durability  of  any  kind  of  leather,  depends  especially  on  the  care  it 
receives  in  the  Coach  house ;  whether  a  carriage  is  covered  up  or  not,  the 
aprons  should  be  unfolded  and  stretched  out  ;  the  head  should  never  be 
allowed  to  remain  open,  as  the  leather,  when  folded  together,  is  apt  to  stick  or 
crack.  In  any  case,  leather  should  never  be  allowed  to  remain  in  contact 
with  a  panel  ;  the  two  will  infallibly  become  glued  together,  necessitating  the 
renewal  of  the  leather  or  the  revarnishing  or  repainting  of  the  i)anel. 

It  is  also  advisable,  when  a.  carriage  is  to  remain  for  some  time  in  the 
Coach  house,  to  slightly  strike  the  head-joints,  still  keeping  the  head  up,  as 
this,  by  removing  the  strain  on  the  leather,  allows  it  to  fold  easily  and  closely 
when  the  head  is  opened. 

CARRIAGE    LININGS. 

To  keep  tne  lining  of  a  carriage  fresh,  as  much  care  should  be  taken 
against  damp  as  against  dust.  Cloth  and  all  kind  of  material  must  be  well 
brushed,  the  carpets  shaken,  the  cushions  and  stages  beaten,  etc. 


12 


Carriages  with  half  heads  have  frequently  in  addition  to  the  usual  Coach 
house  cover,  a  kind  of  curtain  stretched  from  the  head  to  the  apron,  and 
called  a  Cat  guard.  A  carriage  closed  in  this  way  must  be  frequently  well 
aired,  otherwise  mildew  will  appear  on  the  broad-lace,  cloth  on  glass  frames, 
curtains,  etc. 

Moths  are  the  destruction  of  woollen  linings  ;  to  prevent  or  destroy  them, 
a  little  camphor  should  be  dissolved  in  turpentine  and  placed  in  a  saucer  in 
the  interior  of  the  carriage,  which  should  then  be  carefully  closed  and  the 
mixture  allowed  to  evaporate.  Cayenne  pepper  or  phenic  acid  is  also 
occasionally  used. 


OILING    CARRIAGES. 

Patent  axles,  which  are  now  almost  exclusively  used  for  private  carriages, 
should  be  frequently  examined  and  oiled  before  the  caps  become  quite 
empty. 

Specially  prepared  (ixle  oil  is  considered  the  best,  but  should  it  not  be 
procurable,  castor  oil  may  be  used  instead  ;  all  drying  oils,  such  as  linseed, 
must  be  carefully  avoided,  as  they  gum  up  the  axle,  and  are  apt  to  make 
the  wheels  set  fast  and  so  necessitate  application  to  the  coach  builder. 
This  "setting  fast"  of  the  wheels  may  also  result  from  want  of  oil,  or  from 
the  "  oiling  up "  having  been  carelessly  effected.  As  the  proper  treatment 
of  patent  axles  is  a  work  requiring  great  care  and  attention  to  detail,  we 
will  describe  what  is,  in  our  opinion,  the  best  mode  of  "oiling  up." 

The  following  articles  are  indispensable  : 

A  board,  about  twenty  inches  by  eight  inches,  smooth  and  clean,  on  which 
the  caps,  nuts  and  collets  may  be  laid  instead  of  on  the  ground  or  floor, 
from  which  they  would  acquire  sand  or  grit,  an  occurence  to  be  carefully 
avoided. 


13 


An  iron  rod,  called  a  rowker,  hooked  at  one  end  to  clean  the  grooves  and 
pointed  at  the  other  extremity. 

A  bundle  of  hemp,  tow,  or  clean  rags. 

An  oil  can,  with  a  feather  to  the  cork,  used  to  oil  the  axle  arms. 

A  wheel  wrench,  usually  supplied  with  the  carriage,  one  end  being  used 
for  the  caps  and  the  other  for  the  axle  nuts ;  this  wrench  should  always  be 
carried  in  the  boot  of  the  carriage,  in  case  of  accident. 

Each  wheel  should  be  oiled  up  separately,  the  carriage  jack  being  placed 
firmly  below  the  axle  during  the  operation.  The  cap  and  the  two  axle  nuts 
are  first  removed  and  placed  on  the  board,  the  wheel  taken  off  the  axle  and 
placed  against  a  wall  or  other  convenient  support,  the  collet  is  removed  from 
the  front  of  the  axle  box,  and  the  leather  washer  from  the  axle  arm  or  the 
back  of  the  axle  box.  The  cap,  collet,  nuts,  and  leather  washer  are  then 
wiped  clean  with  tow  or  clean  rags,  as  are  also  the  axle  arm  and  collar,  the 
hooked  end  of  the  rowker  being  used  to  clean  the  grooves.  The  same 
instrument  is  used  to  clean  the  axle  box,  which,  owing  to  its  reservoirs, 
requires  special  care.  Should  the  oil  be  clogged  on  any  part,  a  linen  rag 
dipped  in  parafine  oil  or  in  turpentine  will  greatly  facilitate  its  removal. 

The  various  fittings  of  the  axle  and  wheel  having  been  thoroughly  cleansed 
may  then  be  replaced.  The  leather  washer  is  first  slightly  smeared  with 
tallow,  and  put  on  the  axle  arm  close  against  the  collar ;  the  feather  out  of 
the  oil  can  is  next  used  to  give  the  axle  arm  a  coat  of  oil  just  sufificiently 
thin  to  prevent  the  oil  from  dripping ;  the  wheel  is  then  replaced  on  the 
arde,  a  slight  turn  right  and  left  being  given  to  it  to  insure  the  axle  box 
being  oiled  in  every  part. 

The  collet  is  next  put  on  and  forced  into  its  place  by  screwing  up  the 
first  axle  nut.  This  should  be  done  so  tightly  that  the  wheel  turns  with 
difficulty,  and  when  in  this  condition  should  be  made  to  revolve  five  or  six 
times,  —  or  even  oftener  if  the  axles  are  new,  —  to  insure  the  collet  and 
nut  being  in  their  proper  places,  and  in  a  manner  grind  on  the  collet.     The 


u 


nut  is  afterwards  slackened  until  the  wheel  revolves  freely,  but  without  end 
play,  which  would  allow  the  oil  to  escape.  The  second  axle  nut,  turning  in 
an  opposite  direction  to  the  first,  is  screwed  tightly  against  it,  and  keeps  it 
in  its  place. 

The  threads  of  these  nuts  are,  like  those  of  the  cap,  Uable  to  be  crossed, 
if  the  precaution  is  not  taken  to  first  screw  them  on  with  the  fingers  before 
using  the  wrench  ;  we,  therefore,  recommend  great  care  in  handling  them, 
and  their  immediate  repair,  should  they  become  damaged. 

After  pouring  oil  into  the  cap,  to  one  quarter  its  capacity,  and  noting  that 
the  thin  leather  washer  is  on  the  flange,  permitting  it  to  be  screwed  tightly 
against  the  box ;  the  cap  must  be  skilfully  and  rapidly  screwed  on,  without 
spilling  the  oil.  This  will  easily  be  accomplished  if  the  thread  be  good, 
and  care  is  taken  to  place  the  cap  directly  in  the  centre  of  the  box. 

The  inside  of  the  box  should  never  be  oiled,  the  contents  of  the  cap 
being  sufficient  to  supply  the  axle  arms  for  two  months  or  more  of  ordinary 
work. 

Should  too  much  oil  be  used,  it  will,  after  filling  the  reservoirs,  escape  from 
the  box.  'J'his  undesirable  result  will  also  happen  should  the  leather  washe.r 
become  worn,  or  should  the  carriage  stand  too  long  in  the  sun ;  in  either 
case  no  amount  of  care  in  "oiling  up"  will  prevent  the  escape  of  oil.  As 
soon  as  the  overflow  is  perceived  the  carriage  should  at  once  be  "oiled  up," 
and,  if  necessary,  new  leather  washers  apphed,  or  the  wheels  may  set  fast 
through  want  of  oil.  As  the  leather  washers  of  both  collars  and  caps  wear 
rapidly,  it  is  advisable  to  have  several  spare  ones  fitted  ready  for  use. 

The  oil  should  never  be  renewed  in  a  cap,  without  completely  cleansing 
the  axle  and  box ;  to  prevent  the  arms  becoming  encrusted,  they  should  be 
cleaned  about  every  two  months  •  oil  should  on  no  account  be  used  a 
second  time. 

Before  using  a  carriage  that  has  been  standing  for  some  time,  it  is 
important  first  to  examine  the  axles. 


15 


When  a  carriage  has  been  sent  by  rail  it  ought  to  be  examined 
immediately  on  its  arrival,  to  ascertain  whether  the  wheels  have  not  set 
fast  during  the  journey,  as  sometimes  occurs  from  the  vibration  of  the 
train  having  caused  the  oil  gradually  to  descend  into  the  caps  and  reservoirs, 
leaving  the  arms  and  boxes  dry.  In  most  cases  all  that  is  necessary  to 
establish  the  circulation  of  the  oil,  is  to  place  a  jack  under  the  axle,  raise 
each  wheel  from  the  ground,  and  turn  it  right  and  left,  slowly  at  first  and 
afterwards  more  rapidly.  This  precaution  should  be  taken  before  the 
carriage  leaves  the  truck,  in  any  case,  as  soon  as  it  is  unloaded. 

Common  axles,  while  requiring  less  care  than  the  preceding,  must  be 
greased  much  more  frequently.  The  operation  is  effected  by  removing  the 
axle  nut  and  the  wheel,  applying  some  special  kind  of  grease  to  the  axle  arm, 
collar  and  inside  of  nut,  replacing  the  wheel,  and  screwing  up  the  nut. 
The  grease  used  must  not,  —  under  penalty  of  a  great  increase  of  draught, 
— be  allowed  to  dry  on  the  axle.  Should  it  do  so,  the  axle  arm  must  be 
scraped  clean,  and  a  better  description  of  grease  used  in  the  future. 

In  "locking^'  a  vehicle,  should  the  fore  carriage  creak  or  turn  with 
difficulty,  the  perch  bolt  nut  must  be  unscrewed,  and  the  top  carriage 
raised  some  inches,  by  means  of  a  screw  jack  or  other  appliance.  A 
little  dry  soap  should  then  be  rubbed  on  the  wheel  plate  and  felloe  pieces, 
and  a  few  drops  of  oil  be  applied  with  a  feather  to  the  soap  and  to  the  perch 
bolt ;  this  will  at  once  restore  the  ease  of  rotation.  Grease  is  frequently  used 
instead  of  soap,  but  we  prefer  the  latter  as  it  is  cleaner,  is  equally  effective, 
and  never  spreads  on  to  the  under  carriage  as  grease  is  apt  to  do.  The 
difficulty  in  turning  a  fore  carriage  is  sometimes  owing  to  the  felloe  pieces 
being  worn ;  it  is  on  these  felloe  pieces,  and  not  on  the  tramsom  plate  that 
a  wheel  plate  ought  to  rest.  It  will  be  readily  understood  that  after  being 
worn  on  the  top,  the  felloe  pieces  no  longer  form  the  same  flat  surface, 
and  cease  to  be  perpendicular  to  the  perdi  bolt,  which  consequently  grinds  in 
the  socket  and  causes  the  carriage  to  turn  stiffly.     As  soon  as  this  occurs. 


16 


the  vehicle  ought  to  be  taken  to  the  coach  builder,  who  will  remedy  the 
evil  by  packing  the  felloe  pieces  or  by  putting  in  new  ones.  When  the 
under  carriage  has  been  replaced  the  perch  bolt  nut  must  be  screwed  up, 
but  not  too  tightly,  and  the  perch  bolt  key  must  not  be  forgotten,  as  it 
keeps  the  nut  in  its  place. 


SMALL    REPAIRS. 

In  addition  to  the  articles  we  have  specified  as  essential  for  the  care  and 
preservation  of  a  carriage,  a  coachman  should  be  provided  with  a  bottle 
of  "Black  color  and  Varnish"  a  pencil  and  a  brush;  when  treads,  steps, 
roller  bolts,  etc.,  loose  their  freshness  through  wear  or  from  friction,  they 
may  easily  be  restored  to  their  original  appearance  by  the  use  of  this  paint, 
which  should  be  appUed  as  thinly  as  possible.  This  treatment  prevents 
rust  and  contributes  to  that  fresh  appearance  characteristic  of  the  carriages 
of  a  large  estabhshment. 

As  a  rule,  small  repairs  should  be  executed  at  once,  and  it  is  well  to 
keep  a  watchful  eye  on  the  principal  bolts,  on  the  spokes  of  the  wheels,  the 
action  of  the  head,  etc.,  and  should  any  irregularity  be  discovered,  recourse 
should  at  once  be  made  to  a  coach  builder,  without  waiting  until  other 
repairs  are  necessary. 

A  carriage  running  without  having  all  its  parts  in  their  normal  condition, 
will  deteriorate  daily,  and  soon  necessitate  a  general  repair,  that  might  have 
been  prevented  had  the  first  symptoms  of  wear  been  remedied  at  once. 
It  is  a  good  old  English  proverb  that  says  :   "A  stitch  in  time  saves  nine." 

In  conclusion,  we  would  strongly  impress  on  our  readers,  that  repairs 
should  never  be  hurried,  especially  painting  or  varnishing;  such  work, 
when  done  hastily,  is  sure  to  be  done  imperfectly. 


"T^ 


Telescope  Harness  Cleaning  Hook. 

To  hang  from    ceiling. 


Harness  Cleaning  Rack  with 
Moveable   Brackets. 

To  fas-ten  to  tiie  wall. 


The  English  iron  brackets  and  stable  fittings  are  of  wrought  iron,  and  the  red  color 
is  baked  on;  less  care  than  brass,  do  not  rust  like  japan,  and  give  a  bright  cheerful  tone 
to  the  interior.  In  use  in  the  stables  in  England  and  France,  and  recently  introduced  into 
the  United  States  by  the  London  Harness  Agency,  Boston. 


18 


Position  of  Gentlemens'  Saddle  on   Bracket. 


Position  of  Ladies'  Saddle  on   Bracket. 

English  Saddle  Brackets  of  wrought  iron,  ventilate  the  lining  of  the  saddle, 
allow  the  pad  to  expand  after  use,  the  moisture  to  evaporate,  and  prevent  the  saddle 
from  falling  on  either  side. 


19 


Harness  Bracket. 

This  English  bracket  is  the  best  constructed  in  use.  It  is  light,  durable,  and 
ornamental.  It  keeps  the  bridle  in  shape,  prevents  contact  of  parts,  and  entire  harness 
hangs  compaqfely. 


Sponge  and  Tool  Basket. 


Hose  Bracket, 


20 


Name  Plate  with  Interchangeable  Name  slide 


Riding  Bridle  Bracket. 

Wrought  Iron. 


Riding  Bridle  Bracket. 

Mahogany  front,  with  brass  horse  shoe. 


Whip  Rack. 


With  brass  horse  shoe. 


Halter   Log. 

To  place  at  end  of  halter  shank,  to  prevent 
horse  from  getting  cast. 


^^ 


Implement  Hook. 

For  Brooms,  Forks,  Shovels,  etc. 


2i 


HARNESS. 


THE    HARNESS    ROOM. 

All  our  remarks  on  the  position  and  requirements  of  a  Coach  House  are 
applicable  to  the  appropriate  arrangement  of  a  Harness  Room ;  we  consider 
that  an  oaken  floor  is  indispensable,  and  that,  at  least  under  the  harness 
and  saddle  hooks,  there  should  be  a  sheathing  of  wood  to  prevent  any  of 
the  suspended  articles  coming  in  contact  with  the  wall. 

Ammonia,  the  sun,  dust,  and  especially  damp,  must  be  carefully  excluded, 
or  they  will  prove  even  more  destructive  in  the  harness  room  than  in  the 
Coach  House.  It  is  even  advisable  to  maintain  an  equal  temperature  (say 
50  degrees  Fahrenheit)  so  that  in  winter  the  leather  shall  not  crack 
from  cold,  and  the  brass  or  plated  mountings  shall  not  be  attacked  by 
verdigris,  or  the  polished  steel  by  rust. 

To  accomplish  this,  some  mode  of  heating  the  room  must  be  adopted, 
and  the  door  should  be  so  arranged,  that  it  shall  not  communicate  directly 
with  the  open  air,  which  is  frequently  damp,  but  shall  open  into  some  other 
room,  the  Coach  House  for  instance. 

The  interior  fittings  ought  to  be  in  keeping  with  the  importance  of  the 
Harness  Room  ;  they  usually  comprise  metal  harness  and  saddle  brackets ; 
racks  for  riding  and  driving  whips ;  specially  shaped  hooks  for  bridles  and 
martingales ;  a  closely  shutting  glass  case  for  polished  steel  fittings,  such  as 
bits,  bridoons,  curb  chains,  pole  chains,  pole  sockets,  one  or  two  trestles 
for  harness,  a  table,  a  stool,  etc.  The  leading-bars  of  four-horse  Carriages 
are  also  frequently  kept  in  the  Harness  Room,  their  bright  steel  fittings 
being  less  liable  to  rust  the-re  than  in  the  Coach  House. 


A  careful  coachman  will  pay  great  attention  to  his  harness  room  ;  he  will 
dust  it  frequently,  will  polish  the  wood  and  brass  fittings,  and  when  oppor- 
tunity offers,  will  take  a  pride  in  pointing  out  to  his  friends  its  good  order 
and  neat  appearance.  He  will  also  be  careful  to  keep  everything  scrupu- 
lously clean,  and  when  brushing  or  polishing  his  harness,  will  select  some 
place  where  cleanliness  is  of  less  importance  than  in  the  harness  room. 
If  from  any  cause  the  room  is  to  be  shut  up  for  a  lengthy  period,  it  is 
advisable  to  cover  up  the  harness,  saddles,  and  all  objects  not  placed  in 
cupboards  or  cases,  to  protect  them  from  dust. 


GENERAL  CARE  OF    HARNESS. 

It  is  not  absolutely  necessary  to  clean  harness,  as  is  the  case  with 
carriages,  after  each  time  of  using.  Should  there  be  no  mud,  nor  very 
much  dust  upon  the  harness,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  brush  the  oil  leather,  to 
dust  and  wipe  the  patent  leather,  and  to  rub  the  buckles  and  other 
mountings  with  a  dry  chamois. 

It  is,  however,  necessary  to  wash  with  a  sponge,  but  without  splashing, 
any  parts  of  the  harness  which  show  signs  of  sweat  from  the  horse, 
especially  such  parts  as  the  insides  of  the  collars,  the  leather  panels  of  the 
saddles,  the  girths  etc.  This  washing  should  take  place  as  soon  as  the 
horses  have  been  unharnessed  and  rubbed  down,  each  part  being  removed 
in  its  turn  from  the  hook  which  it  occupied  whilst  the  horses  were  receiving 
the  attention  of  the  coachman.  This  partial  cleansing  being  terminated, 
the  harness  should  be  placed  on  the  brackets  provided  for  the  purpose. 

The  same  feather  duster  used  for  the  underworks  of  the  Carriage  may  be 
employed  for  the  harness,  but  to  avoid  scratching  the  polished  leather  it 
ought  to  be  soft  and  pliable. 


WASHING    HARNESS. 

Should  the  harness  be  muddy,  each  part  must  be  taken  separately  and 
washed  with  a  sponge,  special  care  being  observed  in  handling  the  patent 
leather,  which  must  afterward  be  dried  with  a  soft  damp  chamois ;  the 
plain  leather  may  be  wiped  with  an  old  chamois  that  has  been  worn  out 
on  the  Carriage ;  the  various  parts  are  then  put  on  a  trestle  placed  in 
the  shade,  and  when  quite  dry  the  blacking-up  may  commence,  an  essential 
operation  after  washing. 


BLACKING,  AND    THE    CARE    OF    LEATHER. 

The  harness  having  been  taken  apart  and  brushed  or  washed  as  required, 
a  little  liquid  harness  dressing  is  poured  into  a  plate  or  flat  vessel  and 
appUed  by  aid  of  a  small  sponge  to  each  portion  of  the  plairr  leather,  which 
is  then  exposed  to  the  air  to  dry.  If  a  brilliant  polish  is  required,  a 
second  application  will  sometimes  be  found  necessary. 

A  little  :\eats-foot  oil  should  be  used  to  counteract  the  hardening  tendency 
caused  by  frequent  applications  of  harness  dressing. 

The  use  of  English  Harness  Composition  is  daily  becoming  more  general. 
It  is  a  comparatively  hard  preparation,  composed  of  beeswax  and  other 
constituents  of  a  good  harness  dressing.  The  paste  is  put  on  with  a  stiff 
brush,  and  the  polish  is  brought  out  by  a  vigorous  application  of  the 
polishing  brush ;  this  process  produces  a  brilliancy  unobtainable  by  the 
use  of  any  liquid  blacking.  The  other  good  qualities  of  this  paste  are  its 
impermeability  to  water  and  the  rapidity  with  which  the  work  can  be 
accomplished. 

When  harness  soap  is  used,  first  wash  with  sponge  and  water  to  remove 
all  mud  and  dirt ;  then  apply  a  thin  coating  of  soap  with  a  wet  sponge, 
rubbing  it  well  over  all  the   plain  leather.     If  the  edges  turn  red,  darken 


24 

them  with  edge  blacking  before  putting  on  the  harness  soap.     Use  neats-foot 
oil  occasionally  to  soften  the  leather. 

PATENT    LEATHER. 

The  patent  leather  in  a  harness  should  be  treated  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  patent  leather  on  a  carriage,  either  by  washing  it  with  water  simply,  or 
by  applying  a  small  quantity  of  patent-leather  polish.  We  recommend  for 
the  patent  leather  on  the  saddles,  collars,  and  winkers,  the  use  of  an  old 
silk  handkerchief.  The  old  soft  silk  will  not  scratch  the  surface,  and  will 
restore  the  original  brilliancy  of  the  leather. 


BROWN     LEATHER    HARNESS. 

To  clean  and  preserve  brown  or  russet  leather,  first  remove  all  mud  and 
dust  by  washing  with  sponge  and  water ;  then  apply  English  Crown  Soap 
with  a  damp  sponge,  rubbing  it  evenly  over  all  parts  of  the  harness ;  then 
brush  carefully  so  as  to  give  it  a  smooth  clean  surface.  Frequently  an 
English  paste  is  used,  and  applied  with  brushes  in  the  same  manner  as 
that  used  for  black  leather. 

In  any  case,  we  recommend  for  brown  leather,  the  use  of  separate 
polishing  brushes.  In  fact  a  harness  room  should  contain  as  many  sets  of 
brushes  as  there  are  kinds  of  leather,  if  the  harness  is  to  be  kept  in  proper 
order. 

HARNESS    MOUNTINGS. 

The  rules  already  given  for  cleansing  and  polishing  carriage  mountings 
will  apply  here. 

Harness  mountmgs  are  generally  of  solid  brass,  or  white  metal 
plated    with    silver    or    nickel.      Nickel,  as    a    rule,  readily   resumes    its 


25 


original  brilliancy,  when  rubbed  with  a  dry  chamois  leather,  but  should 
it  not  do  so,  a  little  whitening  will  greatly  facilitate  the  process  of  polishing. 

In  regard  to  brass  mountings  we  can  only  repeat  what  we  have,  —  when 
treating  of  carriages,  —  already  urged  against  the  use  of  acids.  They  are 
equally  objectionable  for  harness,  perhaps  more  so,  as  by  burning  the 
leather  around  che  buckles,  they  render  the  harness  dangerous  to  use. 

We  would  allow  a  little  more  latitude  in  the  use  of  plate  powder,  whose 
effects  are  injurious  chiefly  when  brought  in  contact  with  patent  leather, 
especially  when  used  for  arms,  coronets  or  monograms,  with  which  harness 
is  frequently  ornamented. 

Harness  makers  generally  supply  a  guard,  in  the  shape  of  a  piece  of  metal 
cat  out  to  fit  round  the  outline  of  the  various  ornaments  and  so  protect 
the  surrounding  leather  during  the  process  of  cleaning.  Plate  powders  and 
acids  will  nevertheless  penetrate  the  interstices  of  the  ornaments  and,  in 
spite  of  brushing  and  sponging,  will  gradually  effect  their  work  of 
destruction ;  the  less  the  care  exercised  in  their  use,  the  more  rapidly  will 
their  injurious  effects  be  perceptible. 


HARNESS    STEEL    WORK. 

When  unharnessing  the  horse,  the  bits  and  chains  should  be  thrown,  just 
as  they  come  from  the  animal's  mouth,  into  a  pail  of  clean  water  where 
they  should  be  allowed  to  remain  a  short  time  ;  not  longer  than  half  an 
hour.  On  being  removed  from  the  water  they  should  be  carefully  wiped 
dry,  and,  if  free  from  rust,  should  be  polished  with  the  burnisher.  If,  on  the 
contrary,  any  rust  be  apparent,  it  must  at  once  be  removed  by  the  use  of  a 
little  damp  silver  sand,  very  soft  and  fine,  applied  ty  means  of  small  pieces 
or  strips  of  old  chamois  leather.  When  the  rust  has  disappeared  and  the 
sand  has  been  removed  by  careful  wiping,  a  burnisher  is  used  to  restore 
brilliancy. 


26 


The  care  of  steel  work  generally  is  greatly  facilitated  by  the  use  of  a 
board,  fixed  against  the  wall,  and  furnished  with  hooks,  to  which 
the  various  articles  may  be  attached,  leaving  both  hands  available  for 
cleansing  and  polishing.  This  board,  which  we  consider  indispensible  to 
any  establishment  of  importance,  is  frequently  mounted  with  sliding  hooks, 
allowing  articles  of  varying  dimensions  to  be  attached  to  them. 

The  same  process  is  followed  for  hooks  and  sockets,  stirrups,  spurs, 
etc.  Curb  chains  are  cleaned  and  easily  polished  by  rubbing  the  links 
against  each  other  in  a  duster  or  rubber,  adding  a  little  silver  sand  in  case 
of  rust.  To  clean  pole  chains,  a  long  bag  is  used,  made  of  some  stout 
material,  sometimes  of  leather.  This  bag  has  a  handle  at  each  extremity, 
a  little  straw  is  inserted  with  the  chains,  and,  when  from  the  backward 
and  forward  swinging  of  the  bag  the  straw  becomes  reduced  to  chips, 
the  chains  will  have  acquired  a  brilliant  polish. 

The  steel  work,  being  properly  polished,  should  at  once  be  placed  in  the 
harness  room  and  handled  as  little  as  possible.  It  is  preferable  to  keep  it 
in  a  glass  case  rather  than  on  an  open  table  where  everyone  entering  the 
harness  room  is  apt  to  handle  it.  To  keep  the  case  free  from  damp,  we 
recommend  that  a  little  powdered  lime  be  placed  in  the  bottom  and 
frequently  renewed.  The  lime  will,  from  its  nature,  absorb  any  moisture 
that  may  be  in  the  air  of  the  case. 

In  a  well  kept  harness  room  the  steel  work  should  never  be  greased, 
except  in  the  case  of  a  prolonged  absence  of  the  family  from  home. 
Careful  coachmen  will,  however,  during  wet  weather,  wipe  the  chains  with 
a  greasy  rag  just  before  going  out,  to  prevent  rust  and  obviate  the  labor 
inseparable  from  its  removal.  On  returning  to  the  stables  the  grease  is 
at  once  removed  and  the  chains  again  polished. 

Bits  and  bridoon?,  if  plated,  are  washed  in  the  same  manner  as  those  of 
polished  steel,  but  a  little  whitening  may  be  used  to  restore  their  brilliancy. 


27 


BROWN    LEATHER    BRIDLES,   MARTINGALES,   ETC. 

Brown  leather  bridles,  martingales,  etc.,  are  washed  with  a  sponge  and 
water,  or  if  need  be,  with  castile  soap  and  a  brush.  To  prevent  them 
hardening  we  know  of  nothing  better  than  a  liberal  application  of  English 
Crown  soap.  We  recommend  this  preparation  for  all  these  brown  leather 
riding  goods,  and  consider  it  a  most  excellent  preservative.  The  bits 
should  be  treated  according  to  the  instructions  given  for  the  care  of  steel  or 
plated  articles. 


CARE   OF   RIDING   SADDLES. 

After  removing  the  saddle  from  the  horse  the  lining  should  be  thoroughly 
dried,  by  placing  the  saddle  upside  down  where  the  sun's  rays  or  the  heat  of 
the  room  will  accomplish  the  purpose.  The  lining  should  then  be  cleaned 
with  a  whisk  b/oom  or  other  brush  kept  for  that  purpose,  so  as  to  free  it 
from  any  grit  or  du*-  that  may  have  adhered  to  it  while  on  the  horse,  and 
also  to  keep  it  soft  an^.  pliable.  Care  and  attention  to  those  parts  of  the 
saddle  will  not  onlyinsui':  better  wear,  but  will  also  guard  against  the  very 
common  evil  of  sore  backs,  vhich  are  often  caused  by  inattention  to  these 
simple  details. 

The  outside  of  the  saddle  must  next  be  cared  for.  If  it  has  received 
hard  usage,  is  dusty,  muddy  or  wet,  il  must  be  thoroughly  cleaned  with 
sponge  and  water ;  or,  if  badly  soiled,  c.^stile  soap  may  be  used.  After 
being  allowed  to  dry,  a  light  coating  of  saddle  soap  should  be  applied  with 
a  sponge ;  also  a  second  application,  if  necessary,  to  the  parts  showing 
wear.  After  drying  again,  it  should  be  rubbed  over  with  a  woolen  cloth  or 
brush.  If  a  brilliant  poUsh  is  desired,  put  on  a  small  quantity  of  polishing 
cream  with  a  piece  of  flannel,  and  rub  briskly  with  a  chamois  or  soft  brush. 

The   stirrup    leathers    must    be   well   soaped,   and    the    stirrups  properly 


28 


cleaned.  The  part  of  the  saddle  between  the  pad  and  outside  skirt  should 
be  wiped  over  with  a  damp  sponge  to  remove  the  dust.  Leather  housings 
must  be  well  sponged  off  and  occasionally  soaped.  A  felt  cloth  or  pad 
must  be  dried  and  cleansed  in  the  same  manner  as  the  lining  of  the  saddle. 
The  woolen  parts  of  saddles  out  of  use  should  be  frequently  aired  and 
brushed,  as  they  never  spoil  so  surely  nor  so  rapidly  as  when  left  to  take 
care  of  themselves.  Buckskin  on  saddles  should  be  well  brushed ;  to 
remove  stains  first  sponge  with  water,  then  mix  a  solution  of  Breeches  Ball 
and  warm  water  to  the  consistency  of  thick  cream  and  apply  with  a  sponge 
or  brush,  rubbing  it  well  into  the  leather ;  when  dry,  brush  thoroughly,  and 
the  stains  will  disappear.  The  entire  process  will  not  be  found  necessary 
in  all  cases  or  at  all  times  ;  for  instance,  if  the  saddle  is  used  only  a  short 
time  each  day,  dry  and  brush  the  lining  and  use  a  little  saddle  soap  on  the 
outside,  giving  a  thorough  cleansing  about  once  a  week. 


SADDLE    BRACKETS. 

The  saddle  bracket  is  a  very  important  factor.  The  new  English  one  of 
wrought  iron  is  very  much  superior  to  wood  or  cast  iron.  Being  of  light 
build  it  ventilates  the  lining  of  the  saddle  thoroughly,  allows  the  pad  to 
expand  to  its  original  shape,  and  the  moisture  to  evaporate.  Its  peculiar 
construction  prevents  the  saddle  from  falling  on  either  side  ;  this  last  is  very 
important  to  ladies'  saddles,  which,  being  weighted  on  one  side,  often  fall  to 
the  floor,  causing  bent  horns,  broken  cantles,  and  other  mysterious  injuries 
never   accounted   for. 

CARE  OF   VARIOUS  ARTICLES. 

Girths  and  surcingles  should  be  washed  with  soap  and  water,  and  a  brush 
if  necessary ;  white  girths  should  be  pipe-clayed  and  carefully  beaten  when 


dry.  Pipe  clay  is  also  used  for  some  kinds  of  apron  straps,  for  the  lashes 
of  whips,  etc.  Stable  halters  and  bridles  are  cleaned  in  the  same  manner 
as  similar  portions  of  the  harness,  as  they  happen  to  be  of  black  or  brown 
leather,  etc.  All  covers  and  horse  clothing,  whether  of  linen  or  of  wool, 
should  be  washed,  and  on  no  account  put  away  dirty.  To  protect  woollen 
materials  from  moths,  a  liberal  use  should  be  made  of  camphor  and  pepper ; 
they  should  also  be  frequently  aired  and  brushed. 


RUSSET    SHOES. 

Sponge  well  with  clean  water  to  remove  the  dirt.  If  stained,  use  Brown 
Leather  Restorer,  which  should  be  rubbed  well  in  with  a  stiff  brush.  To 
produce  a  brilliant  polish,  wait  until  the  shoes  are  thoroughly  dry,  then 
spread  a  little  English  Polishing  Cream  on  a  moderately  hard  brush, 
rub  the  shoes  well  and  evenly  all  over,  and  polish  with  a  woollen  cloth 
or  soft  brush.  The  color  of  the  leather  can  be  darkened  by  applying 
the  cream  while  the  shoes  are  wet ;  this  should  be  avoided,  if  no  change  in 
color  is  desired. 

CLOTHING. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  it  is  far  better  to  keep  a  horse  warm  by 
clothing,  than  to  keep  him  in  a  hot  stable.  Warm  woollen  blankets  are 
indispensible  in  obtaining  a  bright  smooth  coat,  protecting  horses  from 
chill,  after  violent  exertion,  and  keeping  them  in  good  condition.  Keeping  the 
body  warm  is  a  saving  in  food,  strength  and  vigor ;  two  suits,  —  a  day  suit 
and  a  night  suit  —  are  required ;  when  a  night  suit  is  removed  previous  to 
the  morning  dressing,  it  should  be  brushed  and  sponged  over  to  remove 
stains,  and  hung  out  to  air  and  dry.  If  from  false  economy,  the  same 
clothing  be  worn  by  a  horse  day  and  night,  he  will  constantly  be  wearing  it 


not  only  dirty  but  damp,  to   the   injury  of  his   health   and   appearance,  and 
would  be  much  better  without  any  clothing  at  all. 


BANDAGES. 

Woolen  bandages  save  time  in  drying  wet  legs,  and  are  partly  a  substi- 
tute for  hand  rubbing.  Their  warmth  reduces  inflammation,  assists  the 
circulation,  and  so  prevents  stiffness  and  swelhng. 

Linen  bandages,  kept  constantly  wet,  are  useful  in  cases  of  bruises,  or 
inflammation  from  other  causes. 


TEMPERATURE    OF    STABLES. 

Stables  kept  too  warm  are  unhealthy,  especially  for  horses  exposed  to 
sudden  changes  and  bad  weather,  as  they  feel  the  effects  of  external  cold, 
in  proportion  to  the  warmth  of  the  stable  they  stand  in.  A  cool  stable 
with  plenty  of  good  pure  air  makes  a  healthy  horse.  Temperature  should 
not  be  lower  than  fifty  degrees,  nor  exceeding  sixty-five  degrees ;  better 
have  a  cool  stable,  than  one  too  hot.  Food  and  clothing  will  keep  the  body 
warm ;  the  lungs  should  have  fresh  air. 


GROOMING. 

If  the  horse  is  heated,  or  is  wet  from  perspiration  or  rain,  he  should 
on  no  account  be  allowed  to  remain  undried  for  any  length  of  time  ;  but,  if 
he  cannot  be  attended  to  at  once,  he  may  either  receive  a  temporary  wisping 
of  the  body  and  legs,  or  clothing  and  bandaging  these,  leave  on  the 
saddle  or  harness  until  an  opportunity  arrives  for  grooming  him  ;  better  still, 
he  may  be  exercised  for  a  short  time,  so  as  to  prevent  a  chill.  It  is  very 
dangerous  to   allow  the   skin   to  dry  by  evaporation,  and  especially  in  a  cold 


31 


or  draughty  stable,  as  pleurisy,  bronchitis,  and  inflammation  of  the  lungs  or 
intestines  are  very  often  the  result. 

Cracked  and  greasy  heels  are  usually  caused  by  wet,  either  from  muddy 
roads,  or  from  washing  the  legs  and  leaving  them  wet,  or  imperfectly  drying 
them.  Unless  they  can  be  thoroughly  dried,  it  is  well  to  leave  them  alone, 
or  to  remove  as  much  as  possible  of  the  superfluous  moisture,  and  when 
convenient,  bandage  them.  When  they  are  dried,  they  may  be  cleaned  with 
a  dandy  brush. 

The  following  is  the  order  of  dressing  a  horse  after  work,  according  to  one 
of  the  best  authorities  :  — 

If  very  hot,  throw  a  rug  loosely  over  his  back  and  quarters ;  in  fine 
weather  hitch  him  in  the  yard,  in  cold  weather  he  must  be  dressed  in  the 
stable.  Wash  and  pick  out  any  dirt  from  his  feet,  then  rub  off  the  loose  dirt 
from  his  legs  and  belly  with  a  straw  wisp.  If  there  be  any  white  about  the 
legs,  soft  soap  and  washing  blue  must  be  used  the  next  morning.  If  the 
horse's  belly  and  legs  are  washed,  rub  all  the  wet  parts  with  dry  woolen 
cloths  and  roir  bandages  on  all  four  legs  from  the  coronets  to  the  knees  or 
hocks.  Remove  the  rug,  and  rub  the  horse  until  quite  dry ;  then  briskly 
apply  a  brush  until  all  the  sweat  and  dirt  is  removed ;  follow  up  with  a  damp 
hay  wisp  to  lay  the  coat  smooth  ;  finish  with  a  chamois  leather,  or  better  still, 
a  glove  brush.  The  clothing  should  now  be  laid  on  and  well  secured  by  the 
surcingle.  The  next  step  is  to  sponge  and  wipe  the  horse's  eyes,  mouth, 
nose,  and  other  delicate  parts  not  covered  with  hair,  and  to  carefully  brush 
the  mane  and  tail. 

WORK    HORSES. 

Grooming  is  not  required  to  the  same  degree  with  all  horses  ;  the  slow- 
paced  cart  or  farm  horse,  or  horses  which  are  much  exposed  to  the  weather, 
do  not  require,  and  in  fact,  should  not  receive  so  much  grooming  as  carriage 
horses,  hunters,  or  race  horses.     Indeed,  the  former  are  none  the  worse  for 


32 


having  a  little  grease  in  their  skin,  to  protect  them  from  the  cold  and  wet ; 
but  dirt  of  every  description  should  be  removed  from  the  surface,  and  all 
loose  dandruff  brushed  from  amongst  the  hair.  After  being  stabled  wet  from 
rain  or  perspiration,  the  skin  must  be  thoroughly  dried,  and  at  supper-time  a 
brisk  dry  wisping  will  promote  a  feeling  of  warmth  and  comfort  for  the 
night. 

Opinions  differ  as  to  the  desirability  of  washing  the  legs  of  cart  horses. 
As  a  rule,  the  practice  is  unnecessary  and  injudicious  ;  but  when  the  legs 
have  become  thoroughly  saturated  during  labor,  there  can  be  no  harm 
occasioned  by  washing  off  any  mud  which  may  have  accumulated  amongst 
the  hair.  It  must,  however,  be  regarded  as  essential  to  proper  management 
that,  under  no  pretext,  is  a  horse  to  be  left  for  the  night  until  his  legs  have 
been  thoroughly  dried. 

The  iron  curry  comb  should  never,  as  a  rule,  be  applied  to  the  skin  of 
horses,  as  it  roughens  the  coat  and  cuts  the  hair.  For  long  rough  coats 
nothing  is  better  than  a  good  dandy  brush  to  remove  dandruff,  dust,  and 
dirt ;  for  finer-coated  horses,  a  good  bristle  brush  and  a  wisp  of  straw  and 
linen  rubber. 


STABLE    TOOLS. 

In  addition  to  horse  clothing,  head  collars,  and  rack  chains,  the  following 
articles  are  required  in  a  stable  where  even  one  horse  and  carriage  is  kept : 
wooden  and  steel  forks,  shovel,  brooms,  stall  hoe,  squilgee,  pails,  oats-sieve 
and  measure  ;  body  brush,  curry  comb,  dandy  brush,  mane  comb,  water 
brush,  spoke  brush,  plate  brush,  carriage  brush,  feather  duster ;  sponges, 
chamois,  steel  and  stable  rubbers,  steel  burnisher,  scraper,  hoof  pick,  clipping 
shears  and  comb,  tail  shears,  clipping  machine,  singeing  lamp,  harness 
punch,  carriage  jack,  coil  of  hose,  and  watering  can. 


33 


STABLE    REQUISITES. 

We  have  not  enumerated  all  the  various  tools  and  utensils  necessary  for 
the  proper  care  and  preservation  of  harness  ;  we  have  only  mentioned  the  most 
important  of  them.  We  consider  that  when  procuring  them,  economy  should 
never  be  studied  at  the  sacrifice  of  quality.  Besides  requiring  frequent 
renewal,  cheap  tools  are  generally  difficult  to  use,  and  in  most  cases  produce 
inferior  work ;  we  would  recommend  the  purchase  of  these  articles  from  a 
reliable  harness  dealer,  who,  in  addition  to  being  a  competent  judge  of  tools, 
is  not  likely  to  supply  those  that  will  not  tend  to  the  preservation  and 
appearance  of  his  own  goods,  for  which  he  wishes  to  obtain  the  credit  due 
to  good  work,  and  the  increased  business  which  a  reputation  for  excellence 
is  sure  to  bring  with  it. 


^^: 


LONDON  HARNESS  AGENCY, 

206  Devonshire  St.,  Boston. 


Curved  Seat  — Old  Style  Saddle. 


False  position.      Body  turned   Sideways. 


New  Straight  Seat —  Patent  Saddle. 

Correct  position.      Body  facing  Front. 


xf      Sore  Back.  irt       dragging  by  the  Stirrup. 

^tv  sitting  on  One  Side.         ^»vJ  twisting  the  Spine. 


LONDON  HARNESS  AGENCY 


Harness, 

Riding  Saddles, 

Stable   Outfits. 


THK     IvAROEST     DKALKRS 


IMPORTED   AND   DOMESTIC   HORSE   GOODS, 


THE    SELECTIOIV    OF 

ENGLAND,    FRANCE,  AND   AMERICA. 


SPECIAL  AGENTS   FOR 


St.  Pancras  English  Wrought  Iron  Stable  Fittings. 


P.    K.    m:urphy   &    CO., 

206   Devonshire  St.,  Boston. 


:......,.  ■■,.-,    HARNESS,  AGENCV. 

)6    Devonshire   St.,    Boston 


